http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/ Sun, 10 May 2026 09:56:53 +0000 86400 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/coal-nuclear-too-big-to-fail-r6420 . . . 1.9 GW of coal plants closed, as
. . . 2.8 GW of new natural gas plants were added.

In the latest PJM capacity auction for 2020-2021, prices fell
. . . 23% – showing that we have more power plants than we need.

So why is FirstEnergy – an Ohio-based utility that recently filed for bankruptcy
. . . asking the Trump Administration to bail out its old coal and nuclear plants?

Because, it’s trying to make up for more than a decade of bad business decisions,
. . . investing in outdated coal and nuclear plants,
. . . that can’t compete with newer, more efficient natural gas, and renewable plants. The company wants customers to pay higher prices for the electricity,
. . . from its coal and nuclear plants we don’t need,
. . . especially when there are cleaner, more affordable energy options available,
. . . to serve Americans in this region.

5-26-2018 Source:  #Coal & #Nuclear: Too Big To Fail?]]> Sat, 26 May 2018 22:10:09 +0000 ef03f9befce99cb2f42f3569760b8e78 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/follow-the-money-nuclear-losing-money-r6405 . . . reduced output Thursday night, and Friday morning, at
. . . 4 of its nuclear units in Illinois. At least
. . . 3 ramped down because of low power prices.

5-12-2018 Source:  Follow the Money: #Nuclear losing Money]]> Sat, 12 May 2018 13:14:09 +0000 2390243c9f76219138eed6daa4beee0f http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/britain%e2%80%99s-ageing-nuclear-plants-r6401 . . . could signal that most of Britain’s ageing plants,
. . . will not last, as long as predicted.

Nuclear reactors generate just over
. . . 20% of Britain’s electricity.

Britain's electricity generation is under scrutiny,
. . . due to a plan to close coal-fired power plants by 2025, and
. . . weak economic conditions for investment in new gas plants.

5-10-2018 Source:  Britain’s: ageing  #Nuclear plants]]> Thu, 10 May 2018 12:11:36 +0000 19c768e48aca9308d1a11fe86157731f http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/countries-world-wide-abandon-nuclear-power-r6338 . . . China had bucked the trend,
. . . embracing nuclear power as a reliable, and cheap energy source,
. . . that would help reduce air pollution from burning coal.

Now nuclear development in China is floundering,
. . . with the overcapacity in the power sector, and
. . . fierce price competition with:
. . . . . . solar,
. . . . . . wind, and
. . . . . . hydropower.
Wider concerns about safety, and lack of water,
. . . (of which nuclear power plants demands a huge amount)
. . . also play a part.

3-30-2018 Source:  #Countries world-wide abandon nuclear power]]> Fri, 30 Mar 2018 12:42:57 +0000 d8bbc276e322c3e8c22886df1d4e31d5 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/decommissioning-costs-go-nuclear-r6325 . . . to build a Nuclear power plant,
. . . scuttle the project, and then
. . . bill electric customers for the next
. . . 40 years, to pay off the costs.

Is what's happening at the
. . . V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, in
. . . Jenkinsville, South Carolina.

3-21-2018 Source:  Decommissioning costs go #Nuclear !]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2018 16:04:59 +0000 7e70e439d09bb8f8b43068ec4c6c6e4c http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/fukushima-nuclear-fuel-release-r6297 . . . it had been assumed,
. . . that only volatile, gaseous radionuclides,
. . . such as caesium and iodine were released from the damaged reactors.

However, the new research is clarifying that,
. . . small, solid particles were also emitted from the fallout,and
. . . that some of these particles contain long-lived radionuclides.
The particles found measure just
. . . 5 micrometres or less; approximately
. . . 20 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
The size of the particles means humans could inhale them.

How long lived is “long lived”?
. . . Uranium, for example, has a half-life of billions of years.
. . . That doesn’t bode well.

3-5-2018 Source:  #Fukushima Nuclear Fuel Release]]> Mon, 05 Mar 2018 15:23:38 +0000 292065eda399bc70b6714a2f4915e413 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/fukushima-global-consequences-r6254 . . . 8 Sieverts per hour (Sv/h),
. . . have been discovered within the Fukushima nuclear power plant,
. . . which was destroyed after a massive earthquake, and
. . . a tsunami in March 2011.

8 Sv/h is deadly, but,
. . . 42 Sv/h was detected outside of Fukushima's Reactor Number 2 foundations .

A strange occurrence, and
. . . experts are still arguing what caused the discrepancy.

Last year, the levels of radiation within Fukushima reactor number 2,
. . . were so high that Tepco's toughest robot, designed to withstand
. . . 1000 Sv/h of radiation, had to be pulled out,
. . . as it started glitching due to high radiation levels.
Nuclear experts called the radiation levels "unimaginable" at the time.

2-4-2018 Source:  #Fukushima: Global Consequences]]> Sun, 04 Feb 2018 15:05:19 +0000 7464d29c8432f9d1590f037f0972dd0b http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/coal-plant-shutdowns-r6206 . . . at more than a dozen different units across the country,
. . . are set to retire this year.
Texas is expected to have,
. . . 5,583 MW of coal retirements in 2018,
. . . based on planned retirement dates reported to EIA.

1-11-2018 Source:  #Coal-plant shutdowns]]> Thu, 11 Jan 2018 21:25:56 +0000 7fbaf25be54e87742b79740e316cd96b http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/coal-where-does-it-come-from-r6191 . . . They are also cheaper to operate,
. . . partly because they can be ramped up and down more efficiently,
. . . to match fluctuations in demand and supply.

It has become cheaper to build new solar power plants plus storage,
. . . than these natural gas peaking plants.

When energy demand is high,
. . . typically during the afternoon hours of a hot summer day,
. . . solar is at its best.
This makes it a valuable asset to utilities for capacity purposes.

Coal cannot provide the essential resiliency, and
. . . reliability services that we need, like:
. . . . . . voltage support,
. . . . . . reg-up,
. . . . . . reg-down,
. . . . . . primary frequency response, or
. . . . . . secondary frequency response.

Coal, and nuclear plants,
. . . are just not good at anything but spinning reserve.

1-1-2018 Source: #Coal: where does it come from?]]> Mon, 01 Jan 2018 18:04:20 +0000 3f1d00695d5aac23f5c556054b88be47 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/who-pays-for-abandoned-nuclear-reactors-r6167 . . . 2 cases against SCANA Corp.,
. . . as the utility owner and state officials continue to argue over,
. . . who should pay for 2 abandoned nuclear reactors,
. . . at V.C. Summer station.

By combining that action with another proposal,
. . . the utility commission will also consider,
. . . whether SCANA should refund customers for the roughly
. . . $1.8 billion it has collected to finance its share of,
. . . the nuclear project since 2009.

12-21-2017 Source:  Who pay's for abandoned nuclear reactors?]]> Thu, 21 Dec 2017 16:04:06 +0000 c8b4d673d23385e09789e7db8e3f431a http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/japan-decommissions-2-more-reactors-r6165 . . . is set to decommission the first large-scale reactors,
. . . outside of Fukushima Prefecture,
. . . since the 2011 nuclear disaster,
. . .a move that could affect the government’s Basic Energy Plan.

The utility apparently decided,
. . . that it would not be worth the effort, and money,
. . . to upgrade and continue operating,
. . . the aging No. 1 and No. 2 reactors,
. . . at the Oi nuclear plant in Oi, Fukui Prefecture.

Each reactor has the capacity to generate 1.175 gigawatts.

12-20-2017 Source:  Japan: decommissions 2 more reactors]]> Wed, 20 Dec 2017 13:35:53 +0000 24a1cf9a5d83d14078a9f41f0a702cb6 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/pollution/global-carbon-emissions-above-2-%c2%b0c-r6124 . . . after 3 stable years of little-to-no growth,
. . . according to new research published this week,
. . . growing by 2% over 2016 levels, and
. . . predicted to increase again in 2018,
. . . meaning that time is running out,
. . . to keep global temperature increases below 2 °C.

11-15-2017 Source:  Global #Carbon emissions above 2 °C]]> Wed, 15 Nov 2017 14:02:21 +0000 9f81250cf78de6e784e780b5c9958cc2 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/pollution/already-past-point-of-no-return-climate-r6123 . . . 1700 scientists, penned an open letter entitled,
. . . “The World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity.”

Human activities,
. . . inflict harsh and often irreversible damage, on the:
. . . . . . environment,
. . . . . . critical resources, and
. . . . . . may so alter the living world,
. . . . . . that it will be unable to sustain life, in the manner that we know.
Fundamental changes are urgent,
. . . if we are to avoid the collision,
. . . our present course will bring about.

Since that first warning in 1992:
. . . . . . global average temperatures have risen by more than 1/2 a degree Celsius,
. . . . . . annual carbon dioxide emissions have increased by 62%,
. . . . . . access to freshwater is lower,
. . . . . . forests have been decimated,  
. . . . . . fisheries have dwindled,
. . . . . . there are 2 billion more people inhabiting the earth,
. . . . . . but there are almost a 1/3 fewer mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. There is one bright spot.
. . . “The rapid global decline in ozone depleting substances,
. . . shows that we can make positive change, when we act decisively.”

Now, 15,000 scientists have issued what they call the
. . . “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice.”
“Humanity has failed to make sufficient progress,
. . . in generally solving these foreseen environmental challenges, and
. . . alarmingly, most of them are getting far worse.
Soon it will be too late to shift course away from our failing trajectory.”

10-15-2017 Source:  Already past point of no Return: #Climate]]> Wed, 15 Nov 2017 13:50:14 +0000 45b0095c21211577aa65bc3a355366a4 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/coal-plants-direct-subsidies-r6039 . . . direct subsidies, for coal-fired power plants.

Perry has filed a,
. . . Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR), under the
. . . Federal Power Act, directing the
. . . Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to
. . . “accurately price generation resources necessary to
. . . maintain reliability, and resiliency” and provide for
. . . “recovery of costs of fuel-secure generation units,
. . . frequently relied upon to make our grid,
. . . reliable and resilient.”

The NOPR does not mention specific generation technologies,
. . . but would give immediate assistance to:
. . . . . . coal,
. . . . . . nuclear, and
. . . . . . hydroelectric generators,
. . . which all have multi-day fuel supplies onsite.

Does Puerto Rico,
. . . have multi-day fuel supplies onsite?

9-30-2017 Source:  #Coal Plants: Direct Subsidies?]]> Sat, 30 Sep 2017 13:05:43 +0000 009d69d2d1b986815e7b825382d73af5 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/oil-job-problem-r5981 . . . not environmental protections,
. . . are stunting Oil's job growth, and
. . . Foreign producers have flooded the market,
. . . driving down the price of crude oil.

In an effort to cut costs, and salvage profits,
. . . oil companies are laying off workers,
. . . or automating operations,
. . . replacing workers with machines.
Drilling rigs have gotten more efficient,
. . . allowing companies to pump the same volume of oil,
. . . with 1/2 as much equipment, and
. . . far fewer workers.

Meanwhile, Electric vehicles are getting cheaper every day, and
. . . sales numbers for EVs are growing by leaps, and bounds.
Over the next few years,
. . . this will likely stunt demand for gas,
. . . leading to an oversupply of oil, and
. . . a further downturn in prices.

Technology and economics,
. . . NOT, environmental protections,
. . . are driving the loss of jobs.

8-20-2017 Source:  #Oil: Job Problem]]> Sun, 20 Aug 2017 13:43:08 +0000 a1c9a80b51fb1a982b13329a1dc58f95 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/pollution/water-filter-r5970 . . . have developed a simple water filtration material,
...so effective that a single gram of it can treat up to
. . . 83,000 liters of contaminated water,
. . . after which it can be washed with vinegar and reused.
https://www.youtube....h?v=L_UWrDB3EWE
In addition to being effective and reusable,
. . . the new filter uses inexpensive raw materials, and
. . . relies on a fairly easy and common skill,
. . . to keep it functional and reusable.

8-9-2017 Source:  #Water Filter]]> Wed, 09 Aug 2017 12:47:46 +0000 71f58dc2f5a3d2be62f3f85625ff0bda http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/nuclear-power-is-finished-r5962 . . . economics did.

Santee Cooper, South Carolina Electric and Gas Co.  
. . . abandoned work on t2 new nuclear reactors this week,
. . . not because of public protests,
but because the only way to pay for them,
. . . was to overcharge customers,
. . . or bankrupt both companies.

The project was supposed to cost only
. . . $5.1 billion, but to actually finish the work would have cost
. . . $11.4 billion. By abandoning work, the utilities said they will save about
. . . $7 billion in charges they would have had to pass on to customers.

8-4-2017 Source:  #Nuclear power is finished]]> Fri, 04 Aug 2017 15:36:24 +0000 7dc18693b9385d133160f80154c8976d http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/49-billion-for-abandoning-nukes-r5961 . . . may end up spending the next
. . . 60 years paying $4.9 billion, for
. . . 2 nuclear reactors, that’ll never get built,
. . . based on a proposal that Scana Corp.
. . . filed with regulators late Tuesday.

8-2-2017 Source: #$4.9 billion for abandoning Nukes]]> Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:06:12 +0000 ea95de08542db1d94fe393abd1a5ce8d http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/pollution/pollution-health-costs-r5951 . . . . . . $16.9 billion dollars, on Oil, Gas, and Coal subsidies, and
. . . . . . $140.7 billion dollars, on air pollution linked health costs.

7-29-2017 Source:  #Pollution: Health costs]]> Sat, 29 Jul 2017 15:11:31 +0000 8441c6ab9e88ee3764bd79b6d72269a1 http://www.altenergyshift.com/page/blog/_/non-renewable/ge-biggest-dow-loser-r5943 . . . makes company the biggest loser on Dow this year.

GE's Co. Jeffrey Immelt,
. . . built up the crude oil business, by spending
. . . Billions on acquisitions,
. . . just before prices tumbled, and
. . . customer demand for oilfield equipment dried up.

Gas-turbine manufacturer GE,
. . . also sees pressure in power business.

7-23-2017 Sources: #GE: Biggest Dow Loser]]> Mon, 24 Jul 2017 02:04:47 +0000 607093fb70318b813d0e9b8531916fbe